Eastern Bank, icddr,b sign deal on healthcare waste management

Eastern Bank PLC signed an agreement with the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) to provide support in healthcare waste management and addressing water scarcity in coastal Bangladesh.

As part of corporate social responsibility, the total support provided by the bank for both initiatives will amount to Tk 92 lakh.

Ali Reza Iftekhar, managing director and CEO of the bank, and Tahmeed Ahmed, executive director of the icddr,b, penned the deal to this effect at a function at the bank's head office in Dhaka today, said a press release.

"Supporting initiatives like these, where environmental sustainability meets public health, allows us to create a ripple effect of positive change," Iftekhar said.

"We are not just investing in projects; we're investing in the future of our communities," he added.

"These initiatives go beyond the immediate impacts of healthcare waste management or water purification; they build resilience, empower communities, and set the stage for sustainable solutions to climate and health challenges," said Ahmed.

"Together, we are shaping a future where every action counts," he added.

Building on the success of a healthcare waste management project funded by EBL in early 2024, the bank has extended its support to a second phase of the "Best Practices in Sustainable Solid Biohazardous Waste Management" initiative at the icddr,b.

This phase will enhance waste treatment capacity at the icddr,b by introducing advanced sterilisation technology and providing training to key healthcare facilities in Dhaka.

The programme also aims to align national healthcare waste management policies with sustainable practices, ensuring a more environment-friendly and resilient healthcare system.